The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Present day mobile platforms, for example commercial aircraft, are being equipped with on-board communications systems that enable wireless personal electronic devices (“PEDs”) of crew and passengers to connect to off-board terrestrial communication networks. For example, such communication systems are often cellular systems that facilitate communication with cellular phones/devices of crew members and passengers. Cellular systems employed on commercial aircraft are expected to have one or more “picocells” within the aircraft to facilitate wireless communication with on-board cellular devices while the mobile platform is in operation. Such picocells thus allow cellular devices present on the aircraft to use an on-board cellular network of the aircraft to connect with an off-board cellular network. Thus, passengers and crew members will soon be able to use their own cellular devices while airborne in a commercial aircraft, in accordance with applicable rules and regulations set forth by various regulatory bodies and/or airlines operating the aircraft.
In view of this new communications capability with wireless PEDs, some form of control is required that detects use of wireless PEDs during critical phases of mobile platform operation, where such use is not permitted, and thereafter prevents use of the on-board wireless communication network by those PEDs that have violated the rules regulating their use. Such a system and method would also ideally be able to detect the presence of unattended PEDs, such as unattended cellular devices, for example cellular devices located in a cargo bay of an aircraft, if such devices are turned “on” during prohibited times of use during operation of the mobile platform. The system and method would ideally then prohibit those devices from communicating through the on-board cellular system of the aircraft to a terrestrial based cellular network. Such control may be implemented for many reasons, one of which is for security purposes.
Therefore, a need has arisen, particularly in the commercial passenger aircraft industry, to provide a means of monitoring and detecting when wireless PEDs are turned on, and enforcing a requirement to turn off PEDs during predetermined critical phases of mobile platform of operation.